A Change in the Stars
by SOMifiedMegs
Summary: What if Maria wasn't there for the Captain to declare his love for her...


Disclaimer: I don't own The Sound of Music or any of the Characters...or anything!!  
  
**Do allow me...**  
  
What? Why? Why is the Captain here? Surely not to dance with me? Of course, his children wanted to see how the dance went. I reached up to his outstretched hand and took it. We started to dance the dance I learnt so many years ago. The dance seemed to become more intimate than I remember. The Captain started to twirl me and I began to feel like a child again. I walked behind the Captain, catching up with him. He gently took my hand and we turned to face each other. The Captain stared at me. Staring deep, deep within me. I blushed, I felt so embarrassed that the Captain could see so deep within my soul, embarrassed that I had let the Captain see that deep. I looked back, back into his eyes. I could see it. The Captain had opened up. Before when I had looked into his eyes they were so stony and cold I could only find my reflection staring back at me. Now I could see... well I don't know, but his eyes, his eyes yearned for something, something I didn't know. His eyes looked so sad, something else I had never seen before when I had looked. I realised I was gazing at him. We were staring at each other. I quickly let go of his hand and lowered my arm from above my head. I was still watching him. He was still staring at me. I couldn't help it, I couldn't look away I was fixed. I stepped backwards. I felt like I was powerless my stomach started to surge and I ever so slightly started to shake.  
  
"I don't remember any more." I said quietly, as not to break the connection we still had. "Your face is all red"  
  
That was it; the connection between us was shattered by Brigitta's comment. We were brought back to the room, and to the realisation of people being around us.  
  
I snapped my hands up to my cheeks to try and hide my embarrassment. "Is it? I don't suppose I'm use to dancing." I said back in my defence. "Why that was beautifully done. What a lovely couple you make." That was the Baroness, she always knows what to say and when to say it. The last of her statements hung in the night air. My hands started to feel sweaty and the Captain shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Yes, I think its time the, uhh, children said goodnight." He said, smartly taking off his gloves. I awoke from the light trace I was in.  
  
"Yes, we'll be in the hall in a moment, we've got something very special prepared. Right?" "Right!" The children answered excitedly. I ran off behind the children. I was relieved to get out of his presence. My stomach was still churning. I changed my thoughts from the Captain to the children and their performance. I walked into the Ballroom.  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen. The children of Captain von Trapp wish to say goodnight to you."  
  
I walked into the hall, and the guests followed me. Murmuring about what was to come. The children lined up on the stairs and started to sing. I felt proud that they had become such fine performers in such short time. I looked over to the Captain he was watching his children intently. He had pushed his way to the front with Baroness Schraeder. I turned my attention back to the children and their singing. Gretl was the last to sing, and she pretended to fall asleep as she scooted up the stairs on her bottom. Liesl picked her up and carried her upstairs to join the rest of her siblings, they finished their song and the guests waved goodbye to them. I sighed contently and I went to follow the children upstairs to bed when Herr Detweiler started to talk.  
  
"They're extraordinary. What they would do at the festival! Oh young lady, I must have words with you."  
  
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer to him.  
  
"Georg, Georg, you're not going to let this girl get away. She has to join the party." Max said interrupting the Captain from talking to his guests. "No, really I..." I started to excuse myself.  
  
"Shh, Shh, Shh, Stop it. Georg, please."  
  
The Baroness threw me a stony look.  
  
"You can if you want to, Fraulein."  
  
"I insist. You will be my dinner partner." He said to me. I smiled slightly.  
  
"This is business," He said quietly to the Baroness.  
  
"Franz, set another place next to mine for Fraulein Maria."  
  
Franz looked at me, and hesitated.  
  
"What ever you say, Herr Detweiler." "Well, it appears to be all arranged, doesn't it?" The Captain said.  
  
"It certainly does." The Baroness said icily, trying to hide her...jealousy. "I'm not suitably dressed." I tried desperately to get out of staying at the party.  
  
"Well, you can change. We'll wait for you." The Captain said. I raised my hand to my head.  
  
"All right."  
  
I made my way upstairs to get changed.  
  
I reached my bedroom and let out a sigh of relief. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. After a little while I walked slowly over to my wardrobe and opened the doors. I looked to see what dresses I had, if any of them would be suitable to wear for this party. I started to slowly take off my dress. I tried to stay focused on deciding which dress I would wear, or else my thoughts would most definitely wander to the Captain. There! I've done it again! I shouldn't have thought of the Captain... I was rudely interrupted from my thoughts when I heard a knock at the door. I brought my dress up to cover my chest.  
  
"Come in?"  
  
The Baroness walked in and I froze.  
  
"Maria," She started coolly. "I had a wonderful idea, I thought I would come and help you decide which dress you would wear to the party." She smiled.  
  
I hesitated, earlier the Baroness had thrown me such a cold look I was slightly frightened, and now she's here offering to help me choose a dress... I smiled vaguely.  
  
"It's very kind of you to offer to help me, Baroness." I tried not to be frosty.  
  
"I would be delighted, Maria."  
  
"I, I really don't think I have anything that would be appropriate..." I said taking off my dress and laying it on the bed.  
  
"Now, where is that lovely little thing you were wearing the other evening, when the, uh, Captain couldn't keep his eyes off you?"  
  
I was now buttoning up the dress on the bed, when I stopped. I hesitated.  
  
"Couldn't keep his eyes off me?" I said, somewhat alarmed. I finished buttoning up the dress and relayed it on the bed. "Come, my dear, we are women. Now lets not pretend we don't know when a man notices us," The Baroness put the blue dress I was wearing the other evening on the bed. "Here we are."  
  
"The Captain notices everybody and everything." I said in my defence, stepping over to the window, so my back was to the Baroness.  
  
"There's no need to feel so defensive, Maria. You are quite attractive, you know. The Captain would hardly be a man if he didn't notice you."  
  
I turned back to face her, even more alarmed.  
  
"Baroness, I hope you're joking."  
  
"Not at all"  
  
I started to panic.  
  
"But I've never done a thing to..." I desperately didn't want to be having this conversation, especially not with the Baroness.  
  
"But you don't have to my dear. There is nothing more irresistible to a man than a woman who's in love with him." She said cutting me off.  
  
"In love with him?" I asked even more shocked, stepping back a little. "Of course. And what makes it so nice is...he thinks he's in love with you."  
  
My mouth dropped open. That was just not true.  
  
"But that's not true." I said voicing my thoughts. "Surely you've noticed the way he looks into your eyes. And you know, you, uh, blushed in his arms when you were dancing just now." I raised my hands to my cheeks, I felt embarrassed that he could have such an effect on me.  
  
The Baroness had noticed the way he looks at me as well, had the Children?  
  
"Don't take it to heart. He'll get over it soon enough, I should think. Men do, you know."  
  
This wasn't happening, the Captain wasn't in love with me...was he? Oh what do I do?!  
  
"Then I should go. I mustn't stay here." That's what ill do, ill leave. If the Captain is going to get over me, as the Baroness says then he'll do it much better with me somewhere else. I have no right falling in love with him. I was here to look after his children. I looked around me dazed. I suddenly grabbed my bag from underneath my bed and frantically start to pack.  
  
"Is there something I can do to help?" The Baroness asked politely.  
  
"No, nothing." I said. Visibly upset. As I was madly packing the Baroness turned to leave. I stopped.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
The Baroness stopped. "Please don't say a word about this to the Captain."  
  
"No, No I wouldn't dream of it." I carried on packing. The Baroness turned back around.  
  
"Goodbye, Maria. I'm sure you'll make a very fine nun."  
  
A nun... that sounds...well; strange. I went back to the wardrobe and got out the dress I arrived at the house in. I started to unbutton it; I leaned against the bag and bowed my head. I'm so confused. I know this is for the best. I am here on God's will. I finished packing and I made sure the room is just as it was when I first arrived. I opened the top drawer of my bedside table to get out a sheet of paper and a pen. I wrote a quick letter to the Captain and the children explaining to them why I left. I slipped the note in my dress pocket, placed my hat on my head, pushed it firmly down, then picked up my guitar case and my bag. I silently slipped out of my room closing the door softly behind me. I walked quickly along the landing, praying for no one to be in the hall. Looked like my prayers had been answered as I looked around the hall there was nobody there. I dropped my bag down and put the note on the drawers in the hall. I went back to my bag, took one last look at what I was leaving behind me and sadly escaped out of the door.  
  
I know this is all just the same as what happened but the more exciting stuffs still to come!! Please review:):):) 


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